Spike Jonze and ‘Her’ Win National Board of Review Top Awards

Spike Jonze and 'Her' Win National Board of Review Top Awards

The National Board of Review have announced the winners of the 2013 awards. Spike Jonze’s “Her,” the story of a man (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls in love with the voice of his computer’s operating system, has been named Best Film of 2013, with Jonze winning Best Director.

“Spike Jonze is one of the most talented and visionary filmmakers
working today,” said Annie Schulhof, NBR President. “In Her, he explores
the age-old themes of love and human connection in a completely fresh
and innovative way. It is an outstanding achievement that is sure to
become a new classic.”

The news comes a day after The New York Film Critics Circle named David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” the best film of 2013. Once again, “12 Years a Slave,” “Gravity” and “Inside Llewyn Davis” were largely shut out of the top awards (although “Gravity” won the Creative Innovation in Filmmaking Award” and the Coen Brothers won Best Original Screenplay). Interestingly, “American Hustle” and its star-studded cast didn’t get any recognition from the NBR, which didn’t even include the film in its top films of the year.

Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Wind Rises,” which also won the NYFCC, was named Best Animated Feature and Sarah Polley’s
“Stories We Tell,” was both the NYFCC and NBR’s pick for Best Documentary. 77-year-old, Bruce Dern, star of Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska,” won for Best Actor, while his co-star Will Forte was named Best Supporting Actor. Emma Thompson won for Best Actress for her role in “Saving Mr. Banks,” while Octavia Spencer was recognized for her supporting role in “Fruitvale Station.” That film’s director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan received awards for Best Directorial Debut and Breakthrough Performance, respectively. Adele Exarchopolous also received the Breakthrough Performance award for “Blue is the Warmest Color,” although the Best Foreign Film award went to Asghar Farhadi’s “The Past.”